Top 25 for 2010: Tech fans won’t like this; UGA fans might
The Crimson Tide will be high again in 2010, but dynastic? (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Some folks crank out a preseason Top 25 during the fourth quarter of the BCS title game. I didn’t, for two reasons: First, I was still too astonished by Mack Brown’s shovel-pass-before-the-half to have a coherent thought; second, I wanted to wait and see which juniors were leaving. The shovel pass rankles still, but we now have clarity regarding the NFL early entrants. And here we go:
1. Alabama: Sports Illustrated just proclaimed the Tide a dynasty, which is cart-before-the-horse stuff. Wasn’t it this time a year ago that we were saying Florida was unbeatable?
2. Iowa: Football, as with all things in life, is cyclical. And we saw in the bowl season that teams from the slow and boring Big Ten looked neither slow nor boring.
3. Oregon: Football is cyclical. (Am I repeating myself?) There’s room at the top of the Pac-10, and coming off one Rose Bowl the fleet Ducks — is that an oxymoron? — are poised to go back.
4. Ohio State: Here we have a second Big Ten team before we come to our second SEC representative. I’m not trying to be a heretic. I just think Terrelle Pryor is really good.
5. Boise State: The Broncos leave their blue turf to play Virginia Tech in Washington, D.C., next season. I’m sorry, but I don’t see them winning that game.
6. Florida: Lost Tim Tebow. Lost three big-time defenders. Might lose the head coach. Probably won’t lose more than one regular-season game, though. Cupboard’s not entirely bare.
7. Texas: I keep hearing that Garrett Gilbert showed signs in the BCS title game of being a top-flight quarterback. I thought he showed signs of being not nearly as good as Colt McCoy.
8. Virginia Tech: If you’re looking for the nation’s most consistently overrated team, look first to Blacksburg. But I see the Hokies winning the ACC in 2010, which I guess makes me complicit.
9. Nebraska: Scan these ratings and you won’t find LSU. How long before the Tigers make a hard run at Bo Pelini, who has done nice work in Lincoln, to replace Les Miles? Not long, I think.
10. TCU: Interesting, is it not? With all the coach-swapping we’ve just seen, two guys still in place are the two who coached the Fiesta Bowl — TCU’s Gary Patterson and Boise’s Chris Petersen.
11. Wisconsin: Earlier I noted that the Big Ten isn’t all that ponderous anymore. It is, however, still powerful. Check out this offensive line if you’re a fan of road-grading.
12. North Carolina: It hasn’t yet happened for Butch Davis in Chapel Hill, but it’s getting closer. Last season he had the D. Next season he upgrades the O and finishes ahead of the reigning ACC titlist.
Iowa will be better in 2010. Tech will not. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
13. Arkansas: Want a heartwarming story? Bobby Petrino upsets Alabama on Sept. 25, striking a blow for good guys everywhere. Yes, I’m kidding. About the story and the upset.
14. Pittsburgh: Dave Wannstedt wasn’t much of an NFL head coach, but he has built Pitt into something special. With Brian Kelly no longer at Cincinnati, here’s your Big East beast.
15. Georgia Tech: No, I’m not bailing out on Paul Johnson and his stylized offense. I just don’t think you can lose four of your five best players a year early and expect to be as good.
16. Penn State: Another Big Ten team! This one coached by a guy who fought in the Civil War! (I exaggerate, slightly.) Is the globe spinning backward on its axis? Is global warming real?
17. Oklahoma: We went almost a decade without being able to compile a preseason ranking that didn’t feature Big Game Bob Stoops in the top five. Time’s up on BGBS, I’m afraid.
18. Florida State: Two ways this can go in Year 1 after Saint Bobby — either the ‘Noles fall apart or they reclaim some sense of discipline. I’m taking Door No. 2.
19. South Carolina: This marks the 97th consecutive offseason Gamecock fans are getting geeked up for their big breakthrough. The 97th time just might be the charm, though.
20. Utah: The second-best team in the Mountain West (behind TCU) just might have the best coach (Kyle Whittingham). Tennessee just tried to hire him. He didn’t bite.
21. Georgia: Ten offensive starters return, but the exception is the quarterback. The defense gains Todd Grantham but loses six starters. You might say it’s a good-news-bad-news thing.
22. Navy: I’m not suggesting that losing Paul Johnson was a boost, but it didn’t exactly derail the Middies. They’re 18-9 in two post-PJ seasons. And they still run the ball.
23. Miami: Yes, there are four teams from the ACC Coastal on this list, another reason I don’t see Georgia Tech repeating. Although Tech should beat Miami this time.
24. Oregon State: The second-best team in the Pac-10 should be the Beavers, though it could be Stanford or Cal. It won’t be Southern Cal, though. You know why.
25. Houston: The Cougars have this quarterback. He has passed for 10,691 yards the past two seasons. His name is not Andre Ware. His name is Case Keenum. Pretty good name.
The Georgia defense in 2010: Not as many players but better-coached? (AP photo)
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539 comments Add your comment
Gt4ever
January 22nd, 2010
10:27 am
And then there was Darindawg…… You guys start drinking way too early in Athens…
JMc12203
January 22nd, 2010
10:29 am
Darrindawg, you are certifiable, man!!! I needed a good laugh this dreary morning.
volUnTeer
January 22nd, 2010
11:14 am
buLLdawg: Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. While you are at it, tell all the facts.
1) Landers has beaten Summitt 15 times. HE HAS LOST 40 TIMES. winning pct. .273
2) Landers has 5 final four appearances. BFD Summitt has SEVEN NATIONAL TITLES. SEVEN NATIONAL TITLES & MORE THAN DOUBLE MISS LANDERS FINAL FOUR APPERANCES.
3) UT MEN’s BASKETBALL 89-51
4) FOOTBALL UT leads 21-16-2. SINCE WE HAVE PLAYED YOU PANSIES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS UT IS 12-6.
To add it up buLLdawg, UGA DOES NOT MEASURE UP TO UT IN BASKETBALL OR FOOTBALL.
Enjoy your little fluke win last night. VOLS RULE & DAWGS DROOL
snapshot
January 22nd, 2010
11:59 am
Really does not matter where you are ranked before the season its how you finish up.
Michael
January 22nd, 2010
1:55 pm
Really Mark? Gilbert not nearly as good as Colt? How observant of you. A true freshman who hadn’t played a total of 4 quarters during the season is now called on to replace the all time wins leader in CFB history? Considering the fact that he wasn’t allowed to pass in the first half, had 5 TOs and STILL almost beat this supposedly amazing Bama team, I’d say he ain’t bad.
I’m not saying there won’t be a drop-off this year, but entirely too harsh from you. He will be in the Championship game his Junior year for sure, and if he sticks around for his senior year, then he’ll win both the Heisman and The National Championship.
Michael
January 22nd, 2010
1:59 pm
Check out this artistic depiction of the the ‘Bama championship:
Michael
January 22nd, 2010
1:59 pm
*
Michael
January 22nd, 2010
1:59 pm
Nice isn’t it?
Michael
January 22nd, 2010
2:00 pm
Just screwing with you guys. Congrats.
Nick
January 22nd, 2010
4:39 pm
No chance LSU looks at Pelini (at least not for long). Mary Pat (Bo’s wife) hated it down there. She loves Lincoln (expecially her church group and the Football 101/Bo Pelini Foundation projects around Lincoln.) and I highly doubt she will consent to an unforced move as long as the kids are in school – and definitely not back to the south.
Ohio State, Maybe. the NFL – probably, LSU – No chance.
Tron Carter
January 22nd, 2010
5:20 pm
Knukeeseville in shambles
Recruits bailing every second
Commitments slower than Al Groh’s hoveround
No gas station in Knukeeseville is safe
I was in Nashville yesterday and saw a Screw U Kiffin shirt
Hillarious how much you guys loved him before and put up with his douchebaggery
He played you like you play your brown jug and is now tearing your program apart
chris
January 22nd, 2010
6:17 pm
You got it all wrong dude. The Big 10 had a good bowl season, but i can’t see them being that solid at the top. The top B10 teams will choke. I think the Big 12 will fair better in the rankings than this.
Blue Fox
January 22nd, 2010
6:40 pm
The Tech O will be fine with Johnson’s system in place and Nesbitt returning to run it, I still worry about the D and its lack of talent, despite Groh coming in (he’s too old to play!).
DDT
January 22nd, 2010
6:52 pm
Hey GA Tech Insider! Give us the scoop. When’s Paul Johnson gonna win a bowl game or beat even a mediocre ooc opponent?
KME
January 22nd, 2010
10:30 pm
MB….you take a new DC for UGA…add some players that are going off to the NFL….there will be a new QB on the OU….and you give them that low of a position in the ratings. Do not be surprised to be fooled…crazier things have happened……
SSprings
January 22nd, 2010
11:11 pm
Boise State at number 5. You say you don’t see Boise St. winning against Virginia Tech but you don’t explain why. 21/22 returning starters who just beat a very good TCU team. When Boise plays on the big stage they win because of good coaching and the guts to take big risks. TCU is much better than number 10. They lost a hard fought battle to a great Boise St. team and return 16/22 and have many Jerry Hughess and Daryl Washingtons that will emerge and have always emerged on this perenially dominant defense; the one that slowed down C.J. Spiller in Death Valley and that forced Kellen Moore into two consecutive mediocre performances.
Wreckmaniac
January 22nd, 2010
11:27 pm
Mark you can rank Tech 5th or 15th or 55th. In January this is merely
entertainment. What tickles me are those who take this stuff seriously.
I will not pay any attention to any ranking until Oct 15 and thats probably still too early. So lets make Georgia #1. Again this is all about laughs.
bugsquacher
January 23rd, 2010
1:42 am
no doubt, GA finishes ahead of GT in 2010….
Please techies, dont start drinking the kool aid this early,,,,,
bugsquacher
January 23rd, 2010
1:43 am
btw, mark you are still an idiot
GT IS NOW A 6TH RATE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM
January 23rd, 2010
8:27 am
JELLO JOCKITCH WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THEIR IMAGE AT THE END OF THEIR STREAM IN THOSE WATERLESS URINALS AT THE CALLAWAY GARDENS. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
UGA Drools
January 23rd, 2010
8:59 am
Mark – Good call. Fair analysis.
What's New?
January 23rd, 2010
9:56 am
Another preseason prediction where UGA is overrated, Tech is ubderrated, and VT worship continues. Plus, the expectatons are that Miami, FSU and UNC have to have a good year at some point.
FSU will perform better than UNC. UNC coaching is way overrated (as is Miami’s). VT will stumble early,
Can GT capitalize? This year GT coaching will answer the bell again. Another 10-2 year, with hopefully the right 2.
Husker Dave in Denver
January 24th, 2010
12:51 am
Come on IOWA #2–1 semi-decent game does not make a Top 10 team–as always the talking sports heads are trying to sneak the Big Slow 10 into the Elite level in the pre-season. Only to see them fall on thier faces during the season. You are just nuts with 4 Big Slow 10 schools in the top 25.
Reggie
January 24th, 2010
4:44 am
Clemson should be on this list!
stuckinnova
January 24th, 2010
2:15 pm
Some really foolish assessments…
The Big 10 is really good. Iowa was lucky to win half of their games with improbable comebacks in the 2nd half. They’ll crash next year. A friend of mine who played at The OSU even admits that the program is shadow of its former self…
Boise State is ranked higher than Va Tech but will lose to them. But standby, the Hokies are the most over-rated team… But they will win the ACC in 2010…
Hello, earth to Mark. Engage brain before allowing yourself near a typewriter…
VTer
January 24th, 2010
2:20 pm
Bradley, if you want to really see who’s overrated, visit this site. There are few teams as accurately rated as VT is every year.
http://preseason.stassen.com/over-under/teams.html
CK
January 24th, 2010
2:41 pm
In the six years since Virginia Tech joined the ACC, the hokies have finished at nearly exactly the same spot in the preseason and final AP polls. Except of course for 2004, when the hokies started unranked and finished #10.
Either Bradley did no research or the AJC uses an odd definition of “overrated.” It seems that if he want to name two teams in the title of his column, he’d at least get the facts right on those.
Mr. Thomas Anthony "The Taxman Cometh" Jones, SR Waf-SS Lt. Colonel/ret., Breman, Germany
January 24th, 2010
3:00 pm
First oiwa will not when the Big Ten, Mr. Bradley. That belongs to Mr. Tyrelle Pryor and the Ohio State University Buckeyes, thank you very much. Second, Penn State is the second best team in the big team. (Watness their defeat of the overrated Saban on September 11th, 2010 in Tuscaloosa as Auburn Tigers fans go delirious in joy and happiness.
Third Virgina Tech beat the hellout of Boise State. Mr. Mike Vick and Mr. Marcus Vick and and Mr. D’Angelo Hall demand an apoplogy friom all the fair weather backstabbing turncoat Benedict Arnold Football fans here Marthaville, Georgia (i.e. Atlanta, Ga).
Where is the University of Southern California Trojans in your Top 25, Bradley? Who knows more about Football Mr. Bradley, you or Mr. Monte Kiffin? The answer is Mr. Monte Kiffin.
Paul Johnson is overated! Witness the Middies of Navy. Witness Iowa. Witness LSU.
After LSU beats Bama in 2010 what will be your excuse. Nebraska loses to the University of Okalhama and Mr. BGBS (University of Oklahoma Head Football Coach Mr. Bobby Stoops.) Who knows about Footbal you of Mr. Bobby Stoops? Answer Mr. Stoops? Nebraska should haire Mr. Turner Gill. Kansas destroys Bo Pelini Nebraska Cornhuskers every year. God don’t like Ugly and the cornhuskers treatment of Mr. Turner Gill was extremely ugly. Colleges need to be about respect and honesty.
Miami beats tecjh like a drum.
Lastly the ACC Coastal division is the beast in BCS and Bama couldn’t beat any Virginia TECh or Miami in 2010.
Lastly look for my University of Southern Californai Trojans to meet the Tennessee Volunter in a BCS Bowl Game very soon and it will remind everyone of the January 1st, 1968 Oklahama vc. Tennessee Orange Bowl Game. Mr. Granville Liggins say hello from Canada.
Notre Dame is not in Mr. Bradly’s Top 25! You are right this time!!!!!
Lastly, Bama loses to Penn State, LSU and Auburn and in their bowl in fall of 2010! Guaranteed, and Nick Saban jumps to the NFL again. For the money. Traitor!!!!! Go Auburn Tigers beat Nick Saban and Bama!!!!!
Bill Morgan
January 24th, 2010
3:37 pm
You continue to show your lack of knowledge of college football by picking Ohio State and Iowa so high. Sure they won their bowl game but against teams from down conferences. Did you notice the PAC 10 bowl results? And Georgia Tech got stoned by UGA. A number of SEC teams will be better than either of these chumps in 2010. Also the most overrated team in recent years is Ohio State.
tim H
January 24th, 2010
3:48 pm
I bet it was really hard for you to put Alabama first–
HokieHiVPI
January 24th, 2010
4:07 pm
Wow, Virginia Tech “consistently most overrated team” … Yeah, winning 10 games for the past 6 seasons will do that I guess… horrible, considering the only other team that can lay claim to that feat is Texas… and we all know how mediocre and overrated that program is . Also, if we’re so consistently overrated, why rank us 8th? So we’re consistently overrated, yet you rank us in the top 10… talk about contradictions.
You know, when you make contradictions like that, you just look stupid. What wonderful insight. Perhaps you could have backed up your ranking of VT with something along the lines of: “The Hokies return Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Williams, their entire receiving corps, their 4th nationally ranked Kickoff Return man Dyrell Roberts (1 spot behind CJ “God” Spiller), get Darren Evans back, but have a few spots to fill on the offensive line and at the linebacker position, otherwise they might be ranked higher…”
I suppose that’s too much fact, and would piss off your faithful Yellow Jacket readers if you gave to much praise to another ACC team.
You make Heather Dinich look like she actually knows what she’s talking about.. and that’s pretty sad.
Jeff Honesty
January 25th, 2010
4:39 pm
It is incredible that Georgia is included in the top 25…Looks like wishful thinking for the local team…
navyblue12
January 25th, 2010
4:40 pm
Like the fact that Navy is ranked so high. Hope like hell it holds up.
yo
January 26th, 2010
8:58 am
first
Joel
January 26th, 2010
7:35 pm
I love SEC honks.
AJC: Iowa #2 for Next Year - HawkeyeNation Forum
January 26th, 2010
11:07 pm
[...] Iowa #2 for Next Year Top 25 for 2010: Tech fans won't like this; UGA fans might | Mark Bradley __________________ Jon Miller Publisher jonmiller@hawkeyenation.com twitter.com/hawkeyenation [...]
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6:15 am
[...] in Handling of Tucker | Hawkeye Nation Big Ten Review: A Year of Vindication — NCAAFB FanHouse Top 25 for 2010: Tech fans won't like this; UGA fans might | Mark Bradley Getting their kicks (special teams) | GazetteOnline.com TH – Local Sports Article Iowa fans, Evan [...]
Ryan B
January 28th, 2010
11:16 pm
I just love how everyone points out how we had a month to get ready for GT. Did they not have a month to get ready for us? Not that I think IOWA should be #2 but come on…give us SOME respect. OH, and good teams make their own luck.
randy k. davis
January 31st, 2010
1:30 am
what is wrong with clemson u, no love,no respect. the staff is intact from year one,a strong group return next season but still no respect. I guess we will do it the old fashion way earn it on the field. Take this to the bank.